demon!Charlie, collaring, owner/pet
Soft fingers pass over his cheek. He purrs, pressing to the fingers of this woman, whiskers twitching. She scratches deeper into his fur and he blinks up at her. She’s haloed by the sun, gold jewelry sparkling in the light.
As she pulls away, he reaches out a paw and tries to pull her back in.
“Oooh! How darling!”
Charlie has been coming by her house for weeks now. It was a small coincidence, of course: he smelled something oddly alluring, and of course he could not resist checking it out. After all, he’s a cat first, and a demon second.
This woman smells delicious. He’s sure that her flesh would give him enough power to live forever! It’d be like adding another tail to his collection, and he’s playing the long game. She’s not exactly a prey item.
Over the past month, he’s observed her home. She maintains a strict barrier, walking the border twice a week. Her home doubles as a shop where she sells magical items and cures, and Charlie has seen her eliminate threats with nothing more than a flick of the wrist and a small intonation. Oh yes, if he isn’t careful, he would end up being the prey.
For now, he lets her scratch his cheeks and run her hand all along his spine. She smiles at him and he can barely contain his excitement. So much power. And one less human in the world. There’s no downside.
Another smell catches his attention. The physical hunger pushes aside the spiritual hunger as the woman pulls a dried fish from her bag. His eyes are locked onto the tantalizing treat.
“Why don’t you come home with me, kitty?”
Yes. He follows her as she lures him through the barrier, waving the fish for him. He doesn’t question it: sometimes being a cat comes first. Closer. Closer.
The woman kneels, offering it in her palm and he bounces over to snatch it from her. Before his teeth could close on his prize, though, he feels something touch his scruff.
“Capistro.”
Something wraps around his neck. Charlie rears back, trying to push the collar off, yowling.
“Hold still.”
His body freezes. Charlie can’t move even if he wants to, though he can still breath and look about. The woman’s hand comes down to look at something on the collar and she laughs.
“Charlie? That’s a funny name for a demon like yourself.”
“It was a gift!” He shouts at her, hissing to punctuate.
“You may get up now, Charlie. It’s nice to finally hear you speak.” She smiles brilliantly at him, as if this is a common happening.
Charlie pushes himself up to sit, tail whipping moodily. There’s no point in hiding now, so she can see the split in his tails. “I’m going to eat you for this.”
“Maybe someday! But for now, I’m looking for a familiar. I need someone to walk with me outside so I don’t need to waste so much magic on just protecting myself.”
“It isn’t as if I have a choice now, do I?”
“I’ll give you a choice, darling. Either you leave forever, or you guard me and you can eat as many demons as you please.”
He growls at her. “I want to eat you. Your flesh will give me the power that I need!”
“Oh?” She smiles at him, and it’s aggravating. It’s a smile that says that she’s genuinely interested. As if she truly is simply curious.
“I will not tell the likes of you. You’re just a lowly human.”
Thandi taps her chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps I can sweeten the deal. Guard me for life and you can eat me in the end!”
Delaying his plans for a few decades might be amusing. She seems the type to get into messes. He rises from his sit, standing on two legs, a man before her with that collar still fastened tight to his neck. He looks well groomed, classy, even. She can see the ghost of his ears and tail still, despite the change. “I’ll do it. Make sure you live well and make a good meal for me.”
